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Federal thorn in SLFP-JVP deal
By Harinda Vidanage
An accord on the structure of the federal setup to settle the ethnic conflict is holding up the SLFP-JVP memorandum of understanding, which is widely speculated as the precursor to snap parliamentary elections.

While both parties have agreed that there should be a negotiated settlement to the ethnic conflict, the SLFP and the JVP are still at variance on the type of federal system that should form the basis of a settlement.

Arrangements are under way to send an SLFP-JVP delegation on a tour to India to study the federal system there. But it was only two weeks ago that a JVP parliamentarian who was with a parliamentary delegation on a visit to India refused to go along with the others to Scandinavian countries for a study of the federal systems there.

The SLFP was looking to wrap up the negotiations with the talks on Friday and was hoping to make a joint statement but this has been pushed back. President Chandrika Kumaratunga did not attend the meeting while a notable absentee from the SLFP negotiation team was the SLFP General Secretary Maithripala Sirisena who is a permanent member of the SLFP negotiation team.

According to sources, the SLFP has been pushing for its 2000 draft constitution which provided for extensive devolution on a federal basis but the JVP which strongly opposed 2000 is still said to be wary of anything federal.

JVP leader Tilvin Silva is reported to be concerned over the SLFP's delay in responding to JVP proposal for an alliance between the two parties. He reportedly raised the matter at a recent politburo meeting. The SLFP is reported to have responded saying that the president is closely studying the JVP proposals.

The Sunday Times learns that the JVP Propaganda Secretary Wimal Weerawansa had complained of an unacceptable delay by the SLFP and there was even speculation of a possible JVP pullout from the talks on Friday. At Friday's meeting, the SLFP draft proposals for an MoU were presented to the JVP delegation led by Mr. Silva. Party sources said the SLFP draft included provisions from JVP drafts on areas such as the national question and economic policy.

At Friday's meeting, the two sides decided to conduct more joint-political rallies or protests against the government. Details of these will be taken up at the next SLFP-JVP meeting on Thursday.

Despite the differences and rumours, ex-minister Nimal Siripala de Silva, who is on the negotiating team said the SLFP-JVP merger was almost finalized and that Friday's discussions went well. He said the JVP had agreed that there should be negotiations to find a political solution to the ethnic conflict without any division of the country.

Earlier the JVP had insisted that there was no ethnic conflict but only a terrorist problem which had to be dealt with by military force. Mr. de Silva said that on economic issues, the two parties had come to a consensus and agreed that vital areas such as education, health, insurance services should not be privatised.
PA spokesman Sarath Amunugama who also took part in Friday's talks said the process was going smoothly.

He said a deal would be reached soon despite propaganda carried out by UNP controlled sections of the media which were trying to sabotage or undermine the merger. But The Sunday Times learns that sections of the SLFP, including top officials of its Attanagalle stronghold, are opposed to the new merger with the JVP.

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